Armenian National Committee of Hollywood
1611 North Kenmore Avenue
Hollywood, California 90027
PRESS RELEASE
August 3, 2009
Contact: Thora Giallouri
ANC HOLLYWOOD JOINS THAI CDC AT ANNUAL COMMUNITY FAIR
HOLLYWOOD, CA — On July 25th, the Armenian National Committee of Hollywood
participated in the Thai Community Development Center’s 9th Annual Live,
Work, & Play in East Hollywood Consumer Resource and Health Fair. The event
was held at the Hollywood and Western MTA Portal Plaza, an intersection
point of Thai Town and Little Armenia. Joined by the Armenian Relief
Society of Hollywood, the ANC Hollywood provided translating services for
Armenian-speaking visitors, mediating conversation between Armenians and the
over 40 community organizations that participated in the fair.
"It was great being here today to help provide translating services and
connect members of the community," said Paul Seradarian, ANC Hollywood
Executive Committee member. "Organizationally, it was a wonderful
opportunity to get to know some of our fellow organizations working hard to
make Hollywood a better community for all of us."
Pheel Wang, the Thai CDC project manager in charge of organizing this year’s
fair was pleased with the increased Armenian American turnout.
"I think this year we saw a lot of Armenians coming out, especially because
of the ANC’s efforts,’ she said. She noted that she approached the ANC
Hollywood to participate in the event because of the extensive overlap of
the Armenian and Thai communities in the Little Armenia district of
Hollywood.
ANC Hollywood members and volunteers visited the booths lined along the
metro plaza sidewalk and introduced themselves to organizations as diverse
as the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council and Consumer Action. They also
passed out fliers informing the community of its upcoming events, including
a small business tax seminar being organized by the ANC Hollywood in
collaboration with the California State Controller’s office. The event will
take place in late October.
Assisting the ANC Hollywood were high school volunteers who took part in the
community fair with great enthusiasm.
"It is very ambitious and cool for the ANC Hollywood to reach out beyond the
Armenian community," said Astkhik Hakopyan, senior at John Marshall High
School. "It is important for us to be an active part of the larger
Hollywood community. That in and of itself is important, but it also means
that being supportive of others will encourage others to be supportive of
us."
Other event participants included groups that provide health services and
information, such as the Martin Luther King Medical Center and the Asian
American Drug Abuse Program. Among the other organizations were CAUSE,
which registers voters for upcoming elections, and the Community
Redevelopment Agency, which focuses on Hollywood infrastructure development.
Newly elected California State Senator Curren Price also welcomed the
fairgoers visiting booths including the ANC Hollywood’s.
"The event was well organized and the volunteering was a good outreach
effort. We should always seek more involvement between our community
organizations," said Nick Davtyan member of the Armenian Relief Society’s
staff who participated in the fair.
Baydsar Thomasian, Senior Field Representative of California Assembly Member
Kevin de Leon, addressed those in attendance and highlighted the interactive
spirit of the event.
"Please give yourselves a big hand. I want to salute all of you," she said,
"I love seeing the Latino community, the Armenian community, and the Thai
community working together and volunteering their time and services this
Saturday morning."
The ANC of Hollywood promotes greater understanding of issues of concern to
the area’s Armenian American community and strives to increase Armenian
American civic participation at the grassroots and public policy levels.
####